Archive for June, 2013

Old Pallets are great for projects, burning or even as compost. You should be asking yourself if they are safe to use though. There is a relatively easy way to tell.

All Pallets should have a stamp on them. This stamp Will tell you if the pallet itself has been HT (Heat Treated) or MB (chemically Treated). The stamp will NOT tell you if something was sprayed after its initial use, or if chemicals were stored on it, so keep that in mind.

When treated properly and are in compliance, they will be allowed to display the IPPC certification symbol.

This symbol will include:

A two letter ISO country code. For instance, AU for Australia or US for the United States.

The 000 portion of the symbol represents the unique certification number issued for AQIS (Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service) to the treatment provider or wood packaging manufacturer. Inclusion of this certification number ensures that the wood packaging material can be traced back to the treatment provider or manufacturer.

YY is the treatment abbreviation.

HT is the code for (Heat Treated) to a minimum of 56 degrees Celsius for a minimum of 30 minutes.

MB is the code for (Methyl Bromide) fumigation.

Inclusion of this symbol will make it easier for your shipments to move easily once they arrive at their destination.

My next project is to hopefully make a Planters box out of some old pallets, but summer is fast approaching. Whether I get to my project or not, make sure you play it safe when using FREE pallets to save money and our planet.